This invention relates generally to a flooring system and, more particularly, to a flooring system utilizing a pylon attachment device. The flooring system according to this invention is useful for stabilizing a building structure during an earthquake.
An earthquake is a sudden movement of the Earth's crust that causes seismic waves to be transmitted away from the central point of a release of energy. As tectonic plates within the Earth's surface move against or over one another, an enormous amount of energy is released. This release of energy may cause shaking or displacement of the ground, the amount of movement ranging from an almost imperceptible level to levels causing significant damage to buildings and infrastructure such as roadways, utility lines, and the like.
Many larger construction projects as well as construction in regions having deep or soft soil use a pylon system for a building's foundation. Various devices and support systems have been proposed in the art for stabilizing buildings with pylons against the damaging effects of earthquakes. Pylons or other support pole constructions may be reinforced with metal bars to resist swaying forces. Although assumably effective for their intended purposes, the existing devices do not provide a solution for massive side to side oscillations.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a flooring system utilizing a pylon attachment device having a slip surface situated between a metal plate and the pylon to allow for lateral shearing oscillations. Further, it would be desirable to have a flooring system utilizing a pylon attachment device having a sheer pin that provides stability to a predetermined level but then allows lateral slippage without pylon failure. In addition, it would be desirable to have a flooring system utilizing a pylon attachment device that allows pylon movement while biasing the pylon toward its center position.